Young Justice: Guiding Light
by Copicat123321
Summary: 20 years on from the Reach invasion, the Light have been working behind the scenes, communicating with Apokolips. The Team is still going strong, guided by the new Justice League. But as a new war looms, they must be as strong as those who came before them if they want to survive. SYOC for villains open.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Central City

July 4, 2036, 07:39

Lian Harper dodged and weaved between crates as laser fire erupted over her head. Nocking an arrow, she jumped up and fired at one of the many Manta soldiers. Once the arrow connected, it erupted in a wave of foam, pinning the figure in place. Ducking behind cover as a bolt passed where her head had been, she looked to her father, who had done the same.

"Are you alright?" he asked, focusing on swapping arrowheads but clearly with concern.

"When am I not?" she replied casually, taking out two more soldiers whilst Roy handled the last ones.

Jumping over the crates and looking at the container they were protecting, Crimson Arrow holstered her bow. "Let's secure this dad. Today's the day."

 **A/N: Hello people! Above is a short snippet of my first SYOC. As the timestamp says, this story takes place 20 years after the events of Season 2. All team members have now risen to Justice League status and many have replaced their mentors. This story will focus on the next generation, whether they're children of the League members or just their protégés.**

 **Form and rules to be found on my profile as well. All submissions to be in PM please or I won't accept them. R &R!**

Basics

Name:

Gender:

Age (13-19):

Eye Colour:

Hair Colour:

Height:

More Appearance Desc.: (think tattoos or scars or stuff)

Clothes

Casual:

Formal:

Sleepwear:

Uniform:

Bio

Parents:

Mentor:

Personality:

Strengths:

Flaws:

Fears:

Powers/Skills:

Weapon (if any):

History:

Where do they live now?:

Open to romance?:

Sexuality (if bi state preference):

Any potential storylines? (please list at least 3):

Well, enjoy and I hope to hear from you!


	2. Character List

Hello again!

This chapter's more of a team update than anything, to show you who I've accepted. The response to this has been incredible so thank you! I've decided to cap it at four per gender, since I'm trying to keep things equal. List is below:

 **Girls**

 **Lian Harper AKA Crimson Arrow (Me) Mentor: Red Arrow**

 **Ruby Hol AKA Sparrowhawk (SilverBeastHaven) Mentor: Hawkwoman**

 **Kinako Rune AKA Second Chance (Hofund) Mentor: Dr. Fate**

 **Katherine Kyle-Wayne AKA Alleycat (Angel Ruth) Mentor: Red Robin**

 **Guys**

 **Ethan Zatara AKA Nightcrow (Me) Mentor: Zatanna**

 **Jackson White AKA Blindspot (UltraCommando0946) Mentor: Nightwing (Now Batman)**

 **Zachary Clear AKA Sparklight (CrimzonNova510) Mentor: Static**

 **Colin Kent AKA Redman (Kypress) Mentor: Wonder Girl**

UPDATE: All spots are now taken so please don't send submissions!

If your character isn't listed, I may still use them if another OC leaves/dies, and I'll message you if that's the case. That's not a guarantee though, and I might not kill anyone! Just spitballing at this point.

Anyway, I'm rambling! Send in your male submissions and I'll pick who will be our eighth member! Happy submitting!


	3. Chapter 1: Old Places, New Faces

Chapter 1: Old Places, New Faces

Watchtower

July 4, 13:00

" _Recognised. Crimson Arrow. B-50. Recognised. Red Arrow. 21."_

A Zeta-tube opened up and out stepped the two archers, still in costume. Their package had been secured by STAR Labs and they slipped away. Places to go and people to see.

"Roy. Lian," came a voice from out of the darkness. Following it was Batman, as intimidating as ever, even if he lacked the stoic attitude of his predecessor.

"Uncle Dick, hey!" Lian replied, offering a wave and a smile. Roy went forward and shook hands. "We would've been here earlier but you know how bad guys are. Is everyone in there?"

Recognising quite a bit of her dad in the way she spoke, Dick gave an amused look before nodding. "We're waiting on one but you might as well start. Ethan's been trying to hit it off with the _ladies,_ so you'd better get in there and rescue him."

"Where does he get that from?" Roy muttered, before doing his best 'who said that' impression as Dick raised an eyebrow. Lian decided to walk off at that point, letting the two friends reminisce in private. She entered the training room and looked at her newly inducted team members, who were still deep in conversation.

"I'm just saying, if I can impress you with my magic skills, I deserve a kiss, yeah?" That question came from Ethan Zatara, son of Nightwing and Zatanna, and childhood friend of Lian. His messy black hair offset his sharp uniform, a blazer-shirt combination styled after his mother, and his personality was something he definitely inherited from his father.

"My parents are aliens. You don't stand a chance," replied Ruby Hol, daughter of the Hawks. Lian's eyes were instantly drawn to the impressive wings coming out of Ruby's back, a dead giveaway to her lineage. There was a small stick attached to her belt, which Lian instantly recognised as a collapsible bo staff.

Stood behind Ruby were another two members, Katherine Kyle-Wayne and Zachary Clear. Katherine was the daughter of the Bat and the Cat and, as a result, was technically Ethan's aunt. She was clearly finding the exchange amusing, as shown by the smirk on her face as she played catch with a birdarang. Zack was attempting something similar, but Lian could tell by his body language that he was analysing Ethan, probably in order to imitate his charismatic charm.

The final two members present were watching from a distance, as if observing their teammates. The girl, Lian recognised from reading the files, was Kinako Rune, a powerful magic user. The League placed her under the tutelage of Dr. Fate in order to keep her powers in check, but she seemed perfectly content to comply. Right now she was holding a green gem in her hand, playing with it absentmindedly.

The boy, on the other hand, was much more scientifically grounded, along with being the member Lian was most hesitant about leading into battle. Jackson White received his powers in the same accident that blinded him and, even though they more than compensated for his disability, she wanted to see him in action before giving her seal of approval. He was already impressing her though, because he was the only one who noticed her arrival. "Guys," he said over the flirtatious exchange, "Company,"

Everybody turned towards Lian now, giving her their full attention. Ethan and Katherine both nodded at her, while the others analysed their new leader, who stayed with her arms crossed.

"So, you're my team," she said, in as neutral a tone as possible, "I'm Lian, also known as Crimson Arrow." She stood, waiting for a roll call.

"Ethan, but in battle I'm the Nighthawk. Pretty intimidating, huh guys?"

"Katherine here, Alley Cat in the field. Got it?"

"I'm Zach AKA Sparklight. Hi."

"My name's Kinako. Kinako Rune. In battle, I'm known as Second Chance."

"I'm Blindspot. Because I'm blind. But I can still _spot_ you. Also, I was under pressure to pick a name quickly. Real name Jackson. Hello."

"And I'm Ruby AKA Sparrowhawk. You can probably see why."

Everyone had a few seconds to remember names before Kinako broke the silence. "So, what do we do now? Have we got an assignment or something."

"You're standing on it," Lian replied, continuing as everyone stared down at the floor. "Welcome to the training platform. Once our last member arrives, we're going to have a little friendly competition."

 **A/N: So, now you've met our team (minus one)! What do you think of how I wrote your character? What do you think of the** _ **other**_ **characters? Remember to R &R and please submit for the eighth member! There's only one submission so far and I really can't get the story going without a full team.**


	4. Chapter 2: Thunder Vs Bird

Chapter 2: Thunder Vs Bird

Watchtower

July 4, 13:14

The seven present team members were gathered around the arena floor, perking up as three League members walked in. Superboy, Batman and Black Canary each took a prominent position and nodded to the teens.

"Team," Canary began, waiting as all eyes turned to her. "Welcome to the Watchtower. I hope you're finding it to your liking."

Everyone gave a polite nod, with Zachary being a little more vigorous than the rest. He caught eyes with Katherine but looked away quickly as she gave a slight laugh.

Taking note of the interaction, Batman continued, "The three of us will be in charge of you during your time on this team. Canary will handle mission assignments. I will be in charge of training. Superboy will supervise you during social hours."

"Big brother is watching you," Katherine muttered sarcastically under her breath, before noticing her brother's glare and going quiet.

It was Superboy's turn to speak now. Everyone viewed him with a look of curiosity. The guy had been alive for 25 years and was a hero for just as long, but he looked younger than Jackson, Ruby and Lian. He'd clearly expected the reception, since he kept his face neutral throughout. "We'll begin sparring as soon as our _last-_ "

He was cut off by the sound of the teleporter activating in the distance.

" _Recognised. Redman. B-57."_

Everyone bar Jackson looked towards the room entrance, awaiting a glimpse of their other ally. Lian glanced back to Superboy, and saw a look of annoyance form. She turned back just in time for a corny one-liner.

"Did someone order a Kryptonian?" said the new arrival as he glided into the room before landing firmly on the ground. He looked like Superboy, but with slightly different facial features and green eyes inherited from his mother, Lois Kent. Still, the resemblance was close enough that Kinako and Ethan had to turn around and check, which only served to irritate Superboy more.

"Redman, you're late," Canary interjected as he joined the group.

"I'm here now, that's what counts," he looked to his fellow teens, "And the real name's Colin, by the way."

"Welcome to the team Colin," Ethan said, rushing forward to offer a handshake, which was happily accepted. They held eye contact until Batman made a coughing noise. Ethan fell back into line, grinning to himself.

"You will be split into four pre-determined pairs in order to test your combat readiness," he continued, ignoring the interruption. "Lian?"

Nodding, Lian stepped forward, addressing the group. "Zack will go up against Ruby, Katherine will fight Jackson, Kinako will go with Ethan and I will spar with Colin. Understood?"

The matched pairs exchanged looks with each other. When Colin looked at Lian, he scoffed. "No offense, but shouldn't I go up against someone who can take one of my hits?"

Narrowing her gaze, Lian crossed her arms, "And with that sentence you've just given us all a reason. Hubris."

"Whatbris?" Colin responded, getting the message but still curious.

"Pride. Over confidence. Call it whatever you want, the point is I'll have you on your back before you can land a hit."

"Now who's got hubris?" Colin muttered, knowing that everyone was judging him. Unseen, the three mentors exchanged a look and a smirk, getting a sense of déjà vu.

Ten minutes later, Zack and Ruby were in the circular arena. The others were sat on benches outside of the perimeter and a blue energy dome rose over the training ground, preventing bystanders from being harmed. The three mentors were sat at a separate viewing podium, giving them the best view of the battle.

"I hope you're ready for this," Zack exclaimed in a cocky tone. He tapped the power cells on his belt and electricity coursed through his body, visibly crackling over his fingers.

"I can avoid your bolts before they leave your hands," Ruby replied, refusing to show any sign of weakness. Her wings flapped unconsciously, showing that she was full of energy. The floor blinked red three times alongside a beeping noise, before a green flash indicated the battle had begun.

Immediately, Zack fired a bolt from his right hand, aimed squarely at Ruby's chest. She quickly flew upwards, missing the attack by inches. Now airborne, she rushed forward at Zack, wooden staff in her hand, still collapsed. As she flew downwards, Zack smiled before sidestepping. Ruby was counting on this though and, just before reaching him, she extended her staff to maximum length. It slammed into his ankles and he faceplanted the floor, earning some 'ooh's from the crowd and an unsympathetic laugh from Katherine.

As Ruby went down for a dropkick Zack electrified his body, repelling her into the air. He fired a few more shots at her chest but she dodged each one effortlessly. She cut an impressive figure, her wingspan casting a shadow over most of the arena. Zack looked up, noticing that the wings seemed to be an easier target.

Ruby, spotting an easy opening, threw her staff at Zack in order to knock him off balance. As she did so though, he fired a beam of electricity at her left wing. Since her focus was on attacking, she did not have time to react before it impacted. She screamed in pain, pinwheeling down until she hit the ground. She lay there twitching, as a timer on the ground counted down from ten. Zack, revelling in the moment, moved forward and crouched over the body, which was still twitching. He opened his mouth to gloat, but was interrupted by a fist punching him in the face. He fell backwards as Ruby got back up. She pinned him to the ground by holding her staff to his throat, making sure not to make skin contact. The timer reset and this time reached zero, as the energy shield disappeared. Ruby let go as the others crowded round the pair. Ethan, Katherine and Kinako patted Ruby on the back whilst Jackson and Colin helped Zack to his feet. Batman came forward and the group parted, leaving the two combatants in the middle. "You'll get a full evaluation later. For now, well done to both of you. Next pair, get in the training field.

 **A/N: So now we've got our eigth member, Colin Kent! Thank you to Kypress for submitting him. We've also had our first battle (of sorts) so any feedback on how I wrote that would be well appreciated.**

 **Also a question for reviews: who's your money on to win these matchups? Until next time, have fun!**


	5. Chapter 3: Contest Of Recruits

Chapter 3: Contest Of Recruits

Watchtower

July 4, 13:37

The battleground was now home to Jackson and Kat, both positioned at the starter marks. On the benches, Ruby and Zack had returned. Ruby took the time to get a quick high five from Ethan, before sliding over to her ex-opponent. "I hope you aren't beating yourself up over that."

Zack looked up, before offering a slight smile, "Nah, it's just that…I should have noticed, you know. I got cocky." He looked back down, touching at the bruise on his cheek and wincing slightly.

"You did," Ruby offered sympathetically, before putting an arm around him, "But it's good it happened here. You can learn from it."

They both looked up then as the arena did it's countdown lights, followed by the green. Jackson and Katherine stared each other down for a second, before running towards each other. They had both trained together many times, but never sparred directly like this. It did mean that they knew each other's moves, and the fight was sure to be interesting. Ethan and Colin wanted popcorn, but Black Canary shot that idea down quickly.

Katherine rushed Jackson, and aimed a sweep at his knees. He backflipped away though, before responding with an exploding disc. The explosion knocked Katherine backwards, but she rolled gracefully and landed on her feet. "You use those way too much, Jacky-Boy."

"If it works, it works," Jackson responded, taking out his bo staff and using it to vault-kick Kat. "Anyway, you can't give me a cutesy nickname, you're like twelve."

Rolling out of the way, Kat looked up angrily. "Twelve?! Don't patronise me man!" She took out her whip and, deciding to go straight for Jackson's weak point, ran forward. Once she reached Jackson, she cracked it loudly. The noise made him clutch his ears and falter, his heightened senses being overpowered.

He stumbled straight into a claw-assisted hit to the side, drawing blood. Katherine became a lot more brutal when she got angry, but she also got predictable. Jackson exploited this and, unspotted by Kat, he dropped a smoke bomb. The rest of the team stood up to get a closer look as thick grey smoke filled the spherical arena, pushing up against the energy barriers. It cleared after a few seconds, and it became clear who had won. Jackson had the unconscious Kat still in a chokehold. The smoke didn't affect him, so he could still 'see' perfectly, giving an instant advantage.

The barrier dissipated and Superboy went to the pair. He took out a small bottle and sprayed Katherine's face with it. After a few seconds she woke up in a bit of a daze. She quickly slipped out of the hold but stopped after noticing the fight was over. She put away her whip and gave a smirk to Jackson. "So, you beat me for once. I like a challenge." He just patted her on the back before going to sit down with her.

The next pair was Ethan and Kinako. Ethan hopped bench to bench down to his starting spot, whilst Kinako walked down the aisle calmly. As she went, she placed a hand on Colin's, Zack's and Ruby's shoulders one by one, a green glow rushing up her veins each time. This offset her general innocent appearance so, by the time she reached her spot, Ethan's smile faltered a little as he tried to get a clear opinion.

The arena glowed green, and the two magic users sized each other up for a second. Ethan was the first to break the silence, shouting "Erif Alob!" A bola made of energy fired out of his hands and whipped itself around Kinako, momentum knocking her to the ground. As she worked to free herself, Ethan took a moment to think of another spell. "Right, it's better if you stay down so we need glue or something. Um, Kcits Nwod!"

A large blob of glue formed and fired at Kinako, but by that time she'd freed herself. In the space of a second, she raised a hand and a sphere engulfs her, making her look monochrome. As the orb entered the field, it reversed direction and shot right back at Ethan. Not expecting it, he didn't move and it connected, holding him to the floor. All it took was a quick "Hsinav" and he was free but it gave Kinako enough time to get back on her feet.

Deciding it was time to unveil her second trick, she uttered "Trans: Redman." Instantly, her hair shortened and turned black, followed by her eyes going from brown to green. Everyone noticed the resemblance to Colin, who was staring transfixed. "Hey Redman," Ethan said, giving his usual charm, "You kind of look hot as a girl."

He noticed a smile from Colin, and turned back to Kinako. "Okay, Cosplay Girl, let's loosen you up with an Tlob Ygrene!" He fired a blast at Kinako, but she managed to fly out of its range, a power borrowed from Colin. She then flew into Ethan full speed, pinning him to the ground. He opened his mouth to speak but she covered it with her hand, clamping down in a way that was sure to leave a bruise. The floor counted down and glowed red, revealing Kinako as the winner. She returned back to normal and stepped back, giving Ethan a hand up. He gave a worried glance at Batman, trying to gauge his dad's reaction, but he returned to his usual smile, winking at Kinako before anyone noticed his fear. "I wonder if I can see you dress up as anything else sometime."

The final contenders, Lian and Colin, were now present at their spots. Colin was ignoring Lian, choosing instead to play up his status to the crowd. He turned and flexed, earning an amused cheer from his fellow teammates. He hadn't noticed the battle had begun until he felt Lian's hand on his shoulder. In one graceful move, she used his weight to unbalance him and knock him to the ground, shoulder first. Unexpectedly winded, he flew into the air, trying to create distance.

"You got lucky. I don't normally have my back to my enemies." He shouted, trying to block out everyone's laughter.

"Take some responsibility," Lian replied, getting an arrow ready. Colin decided to be evasive this time, flying in a zig-zag pattern over the arena. Letting him show off, Lian studied his movements, before aiming and firing an explosive arrow directly into his path. Exploding in his face, Colin tumbled to the ground, his mask being blown off. Lian fired another two arrows at his kneeling form, but Colin shot them in mid-air with some carefully aimed heat vision. Regaining his energy, he flew towards Lian at full speed, but noticeably slower than his dad could manage, allowing her to roll out of the way, leaving another explosive arrow behind her.

The resulting explosion knocked Colin out of flight, leading to a face-first collision into the energy wall, earning an 'oooh' from the audience. He lay slumped just long enough for the countdown to hit zero, and fell onto his back as the barrier disappeared. Superboy lifted him up, giving him a sympathetic smile as he helped him to his feet. "Don't worry. We've all been there."

Once everybody was able to stand unassisted, they entered a line in front of their three mentors.

"Congratulations," Batman began, "Each of you have learned something today, whether it be about your capabilities or what you need to improve upon."

"For those of you who lost your match-ups," he continued, as Kat and Ethan both looked down. "Learn from your errors. Keep your confidence in check and do not underestimate your opponents."

Everyone glanced at Colin, who kept his face expressionless. Superboy was the one to speak now. "For now, rest. Get to know each other and we will contact you with a mission detail soon. Dismissed."

 **A/N: Wow, it has been a while! But now all fights have been completed. Did you expect the outcomes or not? Do you think your OCs will change their attitudes now? Reviews mean airtime, so leave them and I will definitely take a look!**

 **But for now, happy reading!**


	6. Chapter 4: Skin Deep

Chapter 4: Skin Deep

Watchtower

July 6, 09:16

The next two days were much more relaxing than debut day. Ethan and Jackson had just been released from the infirmary, and were now playing video games with Colin and Ruby. Jackson was somehow winning, which infuriated everyone and, when asked how, said he could "hear the vibrations".

Zack and Kat were doubling down on their training in the meantime, both determined to be as good as their older team members, if not better. Superboy was almost ready to put a stop to it, for the sake of both them and the holographic opponents, but Lian said she'd supervise them. Kinako, on the other hand, was sat reading a book, occasionally looking down at her emerald pendant. Recreation was always good, but when the assembly bell rang, and it did, they all knew to gather in the briefing hall.

A few minutes after the warning, the eight of them were stood in a vague order, looking up at the holographic screen. After a short wait, Black Canary's face flickered into life, addressing the room. "Team, your first assignment is as follows. Reporter G. Gordon Godfrey is to deliver a talk at Coast City Hall later today."

Accompanying the sentence was a small picture of Godfrey. Everyone knew who he was though, and they certainly knew his biased slant towards the superhero community. He was around 70 now, but he looked quite a bit younger. "It's something of a tradition for the Team to do surveillance at his talks. After all, it's not hard to believe an alien might disagree with his comments."

"So we're protecting a racist?" Ruby asked, "Sounds to me like we should-"

"Personal feelings don't matter, Sparrowhawk." Canary interjected before she could finish her thought. "We must protect every life from harm when able. Your job is recon. Do not get involved. With _either_ side."

And with that the screen vanished, leaving the team to turn to Lian. "Suit up." She ordered. "Bioship sets off in ten."

oOo

Coast City

July 6, 10:01

"I still don't like this." Ruby muttered into her earpiece as she flew through the clouds. She could see crowds and crowds of people, but from that high up the blended into one big mass.

"You don't have to." Zack said. He was stood in amongst the crowd, pulling his blue hoodie over his head. He glanced at Kinako, dressed similarly casually, before looking away. "Orders are orders."

"Plus," Colin interrupted, "He's still a _celebrity._ Pretty cool." He smirked at Ethan, to smacked him on the arm, before realising the mistake of hitting a Kryptonian. The two of them had been magically disguised as members of Godfrey's security detail, whilst the real ones slept off their headache in the boiler room. That way they're the first line of defence if an attack gets fired off.

"Guys," Jackson muttered, as he and Kat reached the rooftop, "Hearing's the best sense I've got so can you give yourself some time to breathe?"

As the comms went dark, his 'vision' returned, giving him a good layout of the place. Nothing particularly jumped out as dangerous yet, and Kat's thermal binoculars weren't doing much either. The moment had arrived now though, as Godfrey was escorted onto the stage with quiet applause. As he began his speech, the large speakers sent his voice over the crowd. Ordinary to most people, to Jackson it meant that the sound interfered with his senses, essentially transforming the audience space into one big blind spot. Raising his hands in an annoyed gesture, he instead focused on the stage, and the faint image of Ruby in the sky. Kat meanwhile was still useful, and spotted a faint pink light in the crowd. Tapping her earpiece, she said "Zack, Kinako, there's something at five and eight o'clock respectively. Might be nothing but…"

"En route," Kinako stated. She kept walking until she could see Zack. Looking around, she saw the same as Kat, a faint glow coming from a female figure's hand. A glance at her partner showed that he saw it too, and they shuffled closer. As they got closer, they also became much more noticeable, and the girl looked up, her eyes noticing them. In a panic, her arm glowed brighter and brighter, before a violet pulse knocked everyone away from her. Zack and Kinako were buried under panicked civilians, but they spotted the figure as she rose up into the sky, disguise torn away.

Her dark skin was contrasted by a tight, pink costume covering her body. It was hard to look at with the pick glare, but it clearly belonged to a Star Sapphire. Godfrey's personal detail opened fire at her, but the force field reflected the bullets effortlessly, before taking them all out with individual energy blasts. That left Ethan and Colin, still in disguise, to run forward and usher Godfrey to a safe room. That left Jackson and Kat to help evacuate people, and Ruby, Zack and Kinako to fight the Star Sapphire.

"This way, sir," Colin said, leading the trio down a flight of stairs.

"Erm," Godfrey objected, "The agreed saferoom is this way."

"Of course, sir." Ethan agreed, glaring at Colin. The two found the right room and barricaded it, guns trained on the door. They were watching the wrong side though, and soon a shock ran through both of them, bringing them to the ground. As Ethan slipped unconscious, his spell dropped, revealing the two of them for who they truly are. Colin was also blacking out, but as it happened he saw Godfrey holding a blaster. "Desaad, I need collection. Darkseid will want to see these two."

 **A/N: Hello! Me again! We finally have some action, and you've seen the debut of xXMysticMuserXx's OC Lacey Stewart! Did you like the new chapter? Were you expecting the plot twist? Let me know! Now, tow more notes:**

 **As CrimzonNova brought to my attention, OC villains are more than welcome! Send them to me, with the non-Team sections of the form, and I might include them in future.**

 **If you have any questions about plot or such, ask them in the reviews and I'll try to answer them next chapter.**

 **Until next time!**


	7. Chapter 5: Tough Love

Chapter 5: Tough Love

Coast City

July 6, 10:20

"So, what's your story?" Ruby asked, swooping out of the way of yet another energy beam. They'd been fighting the Star Sapphire for what seemed like hours but was only a few minutes. Every attacked fired at her was effortlessly reflected and countered.

"Pre-emptive strike," came the monotone reply. Her eyes were glazed over and her face expressionless as she unleashed wave after wave of attacks on her enemies. The most recent one was barely deflected by Zack's electric field. This redirected it towards Kinako though, and her reversal sphere sent it right back at him, knocking him away. It was Kat's turn now to attack, as she launched three explosive birdarangs at the shield. They predictably did very little damage, but when the Star Sapphire countered, Kinako noticed that the shield dropped for a few moments.

"Sparrowhawk," she said into her earpiece, choosing to stay subtle rather than broadcast her plan, "Get her attention."

"Gladly," the winged heroine replied, before diving directly into the enemy's line of sight. "Hey pinky! Let's test your range."

oOo

Lian was sat in the bioship, taking care of mission control. She was trying to assess all angles of the situation but the ship was much harder to steer without a telepathic link. It was easier to just give it a single objective and monitor the field through security camera feeds on her wrist device. She was so engrossed in the fight ensuing that she only just caught the warning that flashed on the corner of the screen.

 _Nightcrow and Redman offline._

oOo

Unknown

July 6, 10:27

Darkness.

Darkness.

Darkness.

Light!

Ethan was woken up by the feeling of ice-cold water in his face. Despite the harsh spotlight in his eyes, he could still make out some details of the room he was in. It was dark and the walls were made of blood-red rock, with several fire pits scattered around. Next to him was Colin, in a similar situation to him. They were both bound to a wall, their hands and feet in chains. These chains must have been tough, because they stopped even a Kryptonian from breaking free. However, the most disturbing thing was the other person in the room. Ethan assumed it was a person, but the light blurred his vision to such an extent that it could just be a shadow. Whatever it was, it had a voice. A calm, sinister voice that began to speak.

"Welcome to your new home."

Ethan would have screamed, were it not for the muzzle covering his mouth, and his alone.

oOo

Coast City

July 6, 10:28

As Ruby evaded the Star Sapphire's attacks, Kinako and Kat worked their way around to their enemy's back. They waited for the perfect moment where the shield dropped, before each throwing an explosive birdarang. Each hit their mark and the enemy was launched to the ground. In a few seconds, Kinako had cleared the distance between the two and placed her hands on the Star Sapphire's ring. "Try to use that and I'll turn your hand inside out in a second."

Eye contact was made between the two and emotion flashed over her face. It was gone in a second but it was recognisably fear. Before any further moves could be made, Jackson whacked her in the head with his staff, knocking her unconscious immediately. Now that the tension had eased, Ruby flew over to Zack, who was just beginning to stir.

"You alright?"

"Yeah." He replied, smiling, "Is it over yet?"

Ruby was a bout to nod, but she was interrupted by Lian's voice over the comms. "Team, I've lost contact with Redman and Nighthawk. Sending you their last known location now."

"Okay," Jackson replied, before turning towards Kat with a look of sympathy. "We'll find Ethan. And Colin."

Kat was ready to freak, but she knew that wouldn't help anyone. Instead, she went with the more sarcastic "We'd better. Who else's ass could I whoop so easily?"

Smiling and putting a comforting arm around her, Jackson set off with the rest of the group, ready to rescue his their teammates from who knows what.

oOo

Unknown

July 6, 10:35

"How can we talk when we don't know what you want?" Colin asked, before yet another wave of electricity surged through his body. Smoke was rising from his body and small patches of his former bodyguard uniform were aflame. He could barely raise his head but he knew that Ethan was worse off.

Being part-Kryptonian offered some resistance against cutting tools, but Ethan was just a human with magical enhancement. Also, it was plain to even the worst interrogator that Colin had a clear attachment to his friends and that could be exploited. Therefore, Ethan had it much worse. His clothes had been cut to shreds and several cuts dripped blood, patterning the floor in their own, grotesque way.

After a while longer in the room, Colin could make out that they were not in the mayoral office anymore. They were on an open platform, the ceiling being replaced by dark grey skies. The fire on the ground looked as though it was coming straight from the core of the planet. The only spot of brightness was something that looked like a circular portal. Through it he could see the familiar brick walls of the building basement, and suspended in front of it was a black box, with strange, golden patterns inscribed in it.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by another electrical surge. The tattoed man's face was in his own now, and it didn't look impressed. "If you think this is pain, wait until I discover how many bones are in the human body. One. By. One." He emphasised his point by grabbing one of Colin's fingers in a hold. Looking around for some kind of help, he spied Ethan's hand moving strangely around the cuff. Then he spotted it. A tiny lockpick working its way through the lock. Colin smirked, knowing that he underestimated the son of Batman. The interrogator saw that as a sign of challenge though, and broke the finger before holding the next.

The pain was unbearable and took Colin by surprise, meaning that a loud scream escaped his lips. The grip tightened on his next finger, but before he could act, he heard a refreshingly familiar voice. "Yawa!"

The interrogator flew away as the newly ungagged Ethan set to work undoing his other cuffs, before moving onto Colin's. Once they were both free, Ethan turned to their ex-captor. As he began to get back up, a "Yats nwod," pushed him back down. "Now you can talk. Let's start off easy. How about a name?"

Colin glanced back at the portal, and beckoned Ethan. "Come on man, let's go."

"I said a name. Noitasnes gninrub!" he shouted, not noticing that his eyes had turned a solid, bright red.

The figure just laughed, not even appearing uncomfortable. "My name is Desaad, head inquisitior of Darkseid. He will burn your world, starting with your loved ones."

"Nice. Real nice." Ethan tried to laugh, but the pain was getting to him. He fell back into Colin's arms, as the Kryptonian fireman lifted him. As Colin ran to the portal, he noticed a swarm of winged shadows cross the horizon, far too many to count. They looked insectile and each was armed with a particularly nasty looking spear. Feeling like he wouldn't do too much damage from this distance, Colin threw Ethan through the portal, before running through himself, making sure to grab the box as he left.

Eventually the portal shrank, replaced by cracked brick wall, and Colin fell unconscious to the sounds of footsteps from above.

oOo

Watchtower

July 6, 11:47

"Colin's come round," came the voice of Jackson from behind Lian.

She turned around from where she was looking, the heavily sedated Star Sapphire, to see her teammate. "Good," she commented, trying not to betray any emotion, "Ethan?"

"Red Robin says he should be awake soon. Lost a lot of blood though." His voice quivered slightly, and Lian sympathised. They were practically brothers, and she didn't even want to think about how Kat was holding up.

"All good then," she said with a slight smile.

"What about her?" he said, nodding towards their prisoner.

"ID came back as Lacey Stewart." Noticing a raised eyebrow from Jackson, she nodded. "Yeah, Green Lantern's daughter. Seemed like a shock to him too, to be honest."

Unbeknownst to the two of them, the form of Lacey Stewart shivered, and a neon green glow pulsed through her veins.

 **A/N: This chapter has been nearly finished for** _ **so**_ **long, I swear to god. But now it's here! I know Ethan and Colin's trip to Apokolips was rather brief, but I hope it at least carried some tension. You've also seen the debut of Desaad and the first real blow dealt to the team. As always, read and review for airtime!**


	8. Chapter 6: Recovery

Chapter 6: Recovery

Watchtower

July 7, 08:40

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

It was a regular beat, one that Colin took comfort in, as he watched the green line that was Ethan's heartbeat travel across the monitor. The blood transfusion was complete, but it would take a while for him to wake up. He was clearly worse for wear though, even now. His face was patterned with bruises and he had a few cuts. Nothing superficial; that was left for below the neck, where presumably permanent scars ran deep.

Colin was so lost in his thoughts that he barely noticed when the hand on his shoulder appeared. Turning, he saw Kinako take a seat next to him. "You okay?" she asked, observing Ethan.

"Yeah," he started to say, but he saw Kinako's piercing glare and relented, "Alright, no I'm not. Call it survivor's guilt or something, I don't know." He paused, looking behind his shoulder with caution, before continuing. "It's just that…I got played. And I know it sounds stupid-"

"It does."

"Thanks. I know it sounds stupid but…I've got a legacy to live up to. I know the others are sidekicks or kids or stuff but they haven't got the symbol of the greatest hero on the planet on their chest." He breathed out slowly. "Sorry. I don't stress out normally."

Kinako gave him a reassuring look, "I know about being given a responsibility you feel you can't handle, believe me." She instinctively touched the gem hanging around her neck. "It's not going to go away. You're stuck with it until you die but that doesn't mean you have to be the same as the guy who came before. We're teenagers. We have a lot to learn."

Colin smiled appreciatively, but the doubt was still there. Kinako was right, but looking at Ethan's bruised and bloodied figure sent guilt racking through his body. He could stay there for the rest of the day, torturing himself, but he was interrupted by the communicator buzzing. Looking at Kinako, he switched it on.

"You guys might want to come down to the hold," came Jackson's panicked voice, "Our villain of the week's bugging out."

oOo

Lacey Stewart hadn't had the best life. In fact most of it was pretty crap until the ring chose her. To say she came from a broken home was putting it mildly. Her dad didn't know she existed and her mum…well, she'd have been better off alone than with her. She didn't let it break her though, and the love in her heart drew the ring of the Star Sapphire to her. She was a good person who'd never hurt innocents. Which is why it was shocking when she woke up in a cell with half the Justice League looking down on her.

"Where am I?!" she asked, panicking. Panic made her ring glow brighter, which wasn't helping her case.

"It's okay," said the woman in the red archer costume, "Everything's okay. You're in here for your own safety."

"Mostly ours though," remarked a girl around the same age as Lacey, before an older guy nudged her in the shoulder.

"Wha...what's going on? I don't know who any of you are." She looked down to see a green glow run through her veins dimly. "What's this?"

"It's a chemical compound. Seems to put people in a hypnotic state," said the one person she did recognise, Black Canary, who was reading the information off of a tablet by the looks of it. "Whatever the gap in your memory is, I'm afraid you were manipulated by somebody to carry out a crime."

Lacey could feel her heart start to quicken in pace. "I..who…I don't know anything about this. Last thing I remember is…leaving school." Somebody must have jumped her. Given her something. Told her to do god knows what. "What was the crime?"

Everyone shared an uneasy glance, none wanting to tell, until the girl decided to just say it. "Attempted assassination of G. Gordon Godfrey. Bit of a-"

"Douche," Lacey overlapped. A slight bit of colour returned to her face. She could have almost killed someone nice instead so it lessened the blow.

Even Black Canary smiled for a moment before returning to professionalism. "We'll hold you here until the drug's completely left your system. Your school has been notified with a cover story."

Lacey just nodded, before using her ring to transform back from her costume into her much more comfortable sweater and leggings. Who would want to use her and, more importantly, how did they know who she was?

oOo

Jackson, Zack and Kat were chilling on the couches, watching (or just listening) to the television. "So, rundown of the day," announced Kat, "Out first mission was a success, but we're also going to be invaded by aliens." Zack coughed. " _Or_ villains from another dimension. Oh, and TV personality of the year is one of them. I miss anything?"

"Green Lantern has an illegitimate daughter," Jackson added, as he played catch with a throwing disc.

"Ah yes, how could I forget?" she nodded.

"Bright side," Zack said, holding up some broken glasses, "Souvenir. Godfrey must have dropped them in the rush."

"The souvenirs take over like half the watchtower. We're talking twenty years of history man." Jackson joked, laughing.

oOo

Gotham City

July 7, 23:16

Watching the squad car take Tetch away made the night that much safer, thought Dick as he glided over to the Batmobile. He really needed to call Kat back into the field, but he'd let her acclimatise to the Team first. Never mind Ethan – he'd been in to visit but he was interrupted by the latest Alice in Wonderland-related kidnappings. That didn't help Tetch's bone structure.

"Batman," said Barbara over the comms. "You can't come home yet."

"Yeah, I thought not," he joked, "What is it?"

"Gotham Docks, body's been washed up on the shore."

"You wouldn't be telling me if it wasn't unusual."

"You want unusual?" replied Barbara, any sense of humour lost. "It's the Joker."

 **A/N: Back again with a new chapter! Bit of a calmer one, but we need story development chapters too. Hope you all enjoyed your holidays and let's hope 2017 is better for everyone!**

 **To answer Beastdragons2187 – My plan is to keep the team number to eight, just so everyone gets a spotlight. So chances are no slots will be open for a while. Anti-hero is open though.**

 **Until next time!**


	9. Chapter 7: Most Important Time of Day

Chapter 7: Most Important Time of Day

Ethan was running as fast as he could, but didn't seem to be getting anywhere. He could only see fire and brimstone for miles around. Rusted weapons and armour littered the ground, some lying flat whilst others were embedded deep in the earth. It wasn't like the prison planet though. There were no columns of flame for a start. No, this was somewhere else. And it looked like hell.

He kept running, never seeming to tire, but still not managing to escape the sounds from just behind him. The whispers. So close it was like they were right beside his ear. Losing focus for a second, he caught his foot on an outcropping of rock and fell roughly to the floor, feeling intense heat as if he was above a furnace. Rolling over, the fire was gone. The darkness was all-encompassing, so much so that Ethan couldn't see his own hands. The only image was that of four, bright red eyes staring down at him. There was the voice again, much more focused and so menacing that it paralysed him.

"Soon, you will be ready. And we can begin."

Watchtower

July 8, 07:38

Ethan woke with a jump, sitting upright. He quickly pulled the oxygen mask off of his face, before taking notice of where he was. He felt a hand on his wrist and turned to see his mum smiling at him. "Hey, are you alright kiddo?"

The memory of the torture he suffered flashed in his mind, but he managed to give a reassuring nod. "Yeah, where's dad?"

"The usual. Cleaning up the streets," Zatanna said, looking understanding. "He _was_ here. Almost as much as that friend of yours."

 _Friend?_ He thought, before taking a guess. "Colin? Probably survivor's guilt or something."

"If you ask me, it's or something," she laughed, "Needed us to tell him when to sleep." She turned her attention to his chest. The bruises had faded by now but some of the cuts were clearly going to scar.

Noticing the change, Ethan held her hand, forcing a grin. "I'm fine now. Who knew sacrificing body armour for fashion would bite me in the ass? How did you go so long with fishnets?"

The conversation was halted by Colin coming through the door. There was a heavy stubble and hooded eyes from a lack of sleep, but the moment he noticed Ethan was awake he put down the coffee in his hand and sped to his side. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah. Don't worry."

"Don't _ever_ do that again man. Had us all going for a while," he continued, worry clear in his eyes.

"Y'know, you might be invincible but you don't have to worry about me breaking." Feeling it was getting a bit too heartfelt, he added, "Anyway, I was pretty much whooping his ass at the end."

"Alright kiddo," Zatanna stood up, communicator in hand. "I'm gonna ring your dad. You guys have fun. And you," she said, placing a hand on Colin's shoulder, "Get some sleep now, yes?"

Colin nodded in return, laughing. Ethan watched his mum leave and, as soon as the door was shut, he fell back onto his pillow and breathed out heavily, drained.

oOo

Atlantis

July 8, 08:48

"Thanks for meeting us Artur," Lian said as she swam out of the bioship. Her costume was designed so that the hood to the collar could become an effective oxygen mask.

"No problem Lee, always got time for you," replied Prince Artur, taking her into a close embrace.

"Ugh, I'm cringing from here," Kat muttered as her and Jackson drifted out of the ship to join them. They had to settle for streamlined diving helmets which, as they'd both not failed to mention, did not look nearly as cool. They were the Alpha Squad for this mission since Zack, Ruby and Kinako's powers weren't exactly suited to underwater work.

"Hey, missy," Lian laughed, "Me and Artur were friends before you were even born. Now," she turned back, "What's the issue?"

"Well, you know my uncle Orm?"

"Ocean Master," Lian clarified for the other two. "What's he doing now?"

"He and his followers have taken control of the city's water filtration system."

Kat looked at Jackson quizzically. "We're surrounded by water," she whispered, quiet but not enough to not be picked up on by Artur.

"Many important structures are sealed in domes, for extra security. Gritty water is a pain on the gills, believe me."

Jackson was going to ask where the gills were, but decided it wasn't relevant. "So you called us?"

"Father's busy in the Northern Sea. As such, I invite my people to assist me, and I believe you are more than capable."

"We won't let you down sir," Jackson affirmed, before joining them as they headed towards Poseidonis.

oOo

Metropolis

July 8, 10:51

"And I'll have the Breakfast Burrito please," Zack said to the waitress, "Ooh, and some fries. Large." He turned to see the other four judging him intently, and shrugged. "I'm a growing boy."

"I'm not completely sure eating your body weight for breakfast is the answer," Ruby teased, nudging him playfully. She had to be careful not to move her wings too much in civilian form. The cloaking field might make them invisible, but they could still take out a passerby by accident. Ethan laughed, fully intending on stealing half those chips later.

"Seriously guys," Colin reiterated, smile on his face, "This place serves _the_ best food in Metropolis. Me and Uncle Connor used to come here all the time."

"I sure hope so," stated Kinako, face neutral, "Little chance of it beating my cooking though."

"Well of course!" Zack joked, "Nothing beats the only two meals you don't burn."

Scorned, Kinako emptied half the sugar shaker over his head, to the amusement of everyone. After a while, the plates of food arrived. Making sure nobody was watching, Ethan muttered "Tropelet seirf," under his breath, and happily shoved one in his mouth just as Zack noticed what happened. He was about to start ranting, and would have done for a while, if the ground hadn't decided to split open just outside the window. The crevice in the earth grew larger and larger, until there was enough room to a large, metallic figure to rise out of it. It looked up at the First Metropolitan Bank, and everyone in the diner got a good, long look at its face, a blend of steel and flesh. A green glow came from the chest and Colin swallowed.

"Metallo."

 **A/N: Hello! Bit of a busier chapter this time and believe me, they always look longer in my Word document. Anyway, what comments have you got for this chapter and its plot developments. I promise we will revisit the Joker reveal of last time but any other questions are more than welcome.**

 **Thanks guys!**


	10. Chapter 8: Green-Eyed Monster

Chapter 8: Green-Eyed Monster

Metropolis

July 8, 10:52

"Egnahc ot mrofinu!" shouted Ethan, before a blue glow enveloped the team and changed them into their costumes. As had been well-rehearsed, everyone ran to their agreed positions. Kinako and Ethan were on crowd control duty, whilst Ruby, Zack and Colin went to rush Metallo. Zack targeted one leg with an electric surge, whilst Colin focused on melting the other with his heat vision. Whilst this happened, Ruby circled round and flew in to kick the back of his head. The triple attack sent him buckling to his knees, but sparks began to fly from where Zack had struck him. It would have looked damaging, if Metallo hadn't have then uttered "Fully charged," in a flat but strangely human voice.

Kinako, meanwhile, was herding civilians away from the danger zone with one hand whilst keeping the other raised in order to reverse any blasts if necessary. "I thought this one was dead," she said, observing the villain for any sign of a trick.

"Last seen on May 12, 2022. He was fighting Superman when he was knocked from the top of the West River Bridge. Hit the water and wasn't seen since," recited Zack, before looking around to see everyone give him a quizzical look and shrugged. "What? It's the year I was born and I like to research."

He would have continued to defend himself, but Metallo rudely interrupted by sending a kick his way blowing him backwards into a nearby parked truck. Ruby looked over in panic before placing her bo staff into the joint of Metallo's leg, stopping him from moving it. She looked to Colin. "I have this. Take care of Sparklight."

Colin nodded and ran over to the boy, stopping only to watch as Ruby levered the staff using her enhanced strength, tearing the leg from the rest of Metallo's body. The body was clearly wired with a nervous system because he let out a howl of pain, before firing a beam of kryptonite enrgy from his chest straight at Zack. Colin intercepted at the last moment pushing him out of the way, ducking himself and only getting a glancing blow as it tore through the top of his cape, exposing him to some of the radiation.

"Are you okay man?" Zack asked, guilt rising as he saw the green glow that brushed his neck.

"Yeah," he replied, in discomfort but not severely injured. "I got worse than this in training with Wonder Woman. Just gonna be out of juice for a while."

They shared a grin, before hearing the whirring sound of Metallo's power charging. He grabbed Rub's staff and threw it like a javelin far over the rooftops and away from the battle scene, before taking the girl herself by the neck. "The female is my hostage now. Any form of resistance and I-"

A gunshot rang out and the fleshy part of Metallo's face exploded in a shower of gore, a limp hand dropping the now bloodstained and shellshocked Ruby. Everyone entered a battle stance, as a figure strode towards them, rifle in hand. His messy black hair was just short enough to reveal a scar and a wide eyed smile.

"Hello. I think I just saved your life."

oOo

Atlantis

July 8, 10:52

"You know," Jackson said, as they approached the large, intricately designed castle-like building, "This doesn't seem like just a water filtration plant."

"In the olden days, the ability to deliver clean water was held in high regard. In a way, this building is both functional and revered as a shrine to our water goddess Pallais," Artur recited, as he drifted behind a column. As the others joined him, he peeked out to see several rebel soldiers guarding the entrance. "Now, these warriors are extremely dangerous. Their weapons are infused with Atlantean sorcery and can-" he stopped when he looked behind him only to see the three teammates were gone.

Upon looking back he saw that the guards had been taken out. Jackson knocked one out with his staff, whilst Kat wrapped her whip around one's neck to steer his head into a wall and Lian harpooned the other to the wall by the shoulder, before punching him out. Artur went over, clearly surprised, only for Kat to go "Come on your highness, we're burning artificial daylight," and swim off into the depths of the plant. Jackson gave an apologetic smile, before following.

Lian turned to him, smiling. "Remember when that was us?"

"How could I forget?" Artur replied, "We didn't know what it could be like,"

"They've got a good head on their shoulders. They just need direction."

He smiled knowingly, before the sound of more action permeated the water and both heroes went to investigate. By the time the two of them had arrived, they saw Jackson and Kat, a room full of unconscious guards and the water filtration controls, with a large chunk of C4 strapped to them.

Artur looked up at the ceiling. "For the love of Neptune."

oOo

Metropolis

July 8, 11:00

The stranger took a step forward, but Ethan quickly shouted "Niartser," causing a large bundle of ropes and chains to surround him, binding him in place from the shoulders down and forcing him to drop the gun which Ruby quickly retrieved and levelled at him.

"Who are you?" she asked, finger slipping towards the trigger.

"Woah, woah," the guy said defensively, "Guys, I'm on your side. And," he nodded to Ruby, "I'm pretty sure I saved _your_ life."

She scoffed, "I think we had it covered before you came in and murdered him, but thanks."

"You're welcome," he said, wriggling, "Don't suppose you could let me out? You see I've got an itch just below my left…well, you know."

Colin looked around, noticing the tension in the air. "I mean he did…help us out at the very least. Enemy of my enemy and all…"

"Yes," the stranger nodded vigorously, "Enemy of my enemy. I like him. I agree with him."

Ethan looked between the two, before dejectedly saying "Odnu," and the ropes vanished, sending him face first onto the concrete.

"Okay, alright," the man said, wiping blood from his nose as he rose to his feet. "I've not even introduced myself. My name is Mr. VE, I'm a vigilante, as you may have guessed, and I had a good reason for making Metallo Meltallo." He allowed an awkward silence before laughing at his own joke. "Sorry that was awful but anyway. Back on topic. Did you see his eyes?"

"Green and kryptonite-fuelled, yes," Kinako replied, eyebrow raised.

"Green? Yes. Kryptonitey? No," VE responded, arms crossed. "I mean, different shade for a start. Different ends of the same paint chart. No, Metallo had green eyes for a different reason."

He stopped to let the others think, and it was Zack that first connected the dots. "The Star Sapphire. Are you saying Metallo was what? Mind controlled?"

"Precisely. I was going to…apprehend her myself but you seemed to have it covered. Tall, chrome and gruesome on the other hand was whooping your ass. Now, let's get to the good part."

"Good part?" Kinako questioned, getting more and more annoyed.

"Yes, good part! I know how to track them. And I know who's next."

 **A/N: Hello again! New character this chapter, in the form of CrimzonNova510's Mr VE! What did you think of the character and how do you think he will impact our team? As always reviews are appreciated and I love all feedback! Until next time!**


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